EMS TM Email Continuity Email Management Services Architectural overview for Lotus Notes-Centric environments Dell IT Management Software as a Service THIS WHITE PAPER IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND MAY CONTAIN TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS AND TECHNICAL INACCURACIES. THE CONTENT IS PROVIDED AS IS, WITHOUT EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. 1 Applications Business Process Consulting Infrastructure Support
The Market Need for EMS Through direct customer validation with Global 2000 companies Dell identified the need for a low- cost, easy- to- implement solution that provides continuity of email service during a large- scale disaster. The two major areas of improvement relative to traditional approaches are solution cost and implementation time. With the goal of radically decreasing costs and implementation time, Dell evaluated new approaches to providing email continuity and developed a solution that costs a fraction of traditional solutions while retaining most of the critical benefits. This breakthrough offering in the email continuity and recovery space is called EMS Email Continuity, and is part of the Dell Email Management Services EMS Email Continuity is composed of three components: the EMS Infrastructure, EMS SyncManager and EMS RecoveryManager. The EMS Infrastructure provides continuity of email service while the primary messaging system is unavailable. The EMS Infrastructure is kept current with the primary messaging system by the EMS SyncManager, software run on a single server in the customer s environment. The EMS SyncManager s ability to replicate the most cost- effective pieces of data is one of the keys to EMS s low- cost. The third and final component is the EMS RecoveryManager, which virtually automates the reconciliation of messages from EMS to the primary system after a recovery has occurred. 2 Applications Business Process Consulting Infrastructure Support
The EMS Email Continuity Infrastructure The EMS Infrastructure is the backup mail system that takes over for the primary mail system in the event of an extended disruption. The EMS Infrastructure enables employees to have access to email anytime and virtually anywhere. What is it? The EMS Infrastructure is based on proven open source technologies such as Linux, Postfix, and Horde. Components of this solution have been spun out of companies such as IBM, and are in use today at organizations such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The EMS Infrastructure is capable of hosting a large number of mail users in the event of a disaster. It is kept in sync with the primary mail system through the use of the EMS SyncManager, ensuring that the activated EMS will have the latest data from the primary messaging system such as the global address list and other critical data. The EMS Infrastructure is deployed, managed, and hosted by Dell at top- tier disaster recovery facilities. The EMS Infrastructure is based on a highly- scalable open source code base, the benefits of which include scalability, low cost, and the ability to be resistant to poison pill corruptions that would affect a Lotus Notes- based backup solution. The EMS Infrastructure can be easily tested without the risk of taking down the primary mail system. 3 Applications Business Process Consulting Infrastructure Support
How it works Prior to an email disruption, the EMS SyncManager is used to replicate the company s mailboxes. When a disaster is declared, EMS can rapidly activate the mailboxes. EMS sends a notification message to employees cell phones, personal email addresses, pagers, BlackBerry devices, etc. Employees have access to their email anytime and anywhere using a secure web browser to access EMS. The EMS Email Continuity SyncManager The EMS SyncManager plays a critical role in the EMS system. The majority of the cost incurred by traditional DR/HA solutions is due to redundant hardware and bandwidth that keep the backup hardware replicated with the latest data. The EMS SyncManager allows customers to be smart about the portions of data they replicate and focus on the parts of mailboxes that have the highest value during a disaster while leaving behind the parts of the mailbox that traditionally drive high costs and security concerns. For example, a typical configuration of the EMS SyncManager would gather the names of the mailboxes that should be available when a disaster is declared, as well as the personal contacts from the mailboxes, but not the hundreds of megabytes of old email in those mailboxes. The EMS SyncManager puts the customer in control of the cost of providing email continuity. 4 Applications Business Process Consulting Infrastructure Support
The EMS SyncManager software will run on any Windows 2000 or higher computer and installs in approximately five minutes. Only one running instance of the EMS SyncManager is required for the entire enterprise. The EMS SyncManager runs as a Windows service and has a graphical UI for all setup and configuration. The EMS Email Continuity RecoveryManager The EMS RecoveryManager fulfills an essential role in post-recovery operations the migration of all email from the backup system to the primary system. Employees expect that email sent or received during the activation of the EMS will not be lost when the primary mail system is restored. This process is automated by the EMS RecoveryManager. When the primary system is repaired and brought back online after the disaster, EMS is deactivated. When EMS is deactivated it generates archive files of all messages sent or received while EMS was active. This alone is an industry regulatory requirement for many companies. The EMS RecoveryManager software reads the archive files and uses the Domino API to connect to mail servers in the primary messaging system and restore mail directly to mailboxes. The EMS RecoveryManager can even preserve message properties such as read/unread status, date/time stamps, etc. The EMS RecoveryManager will run on any Windows 2000 or higher computer and installs in approximately five minutes. 5 Applications Business Process Consulting Infrastructure Support
EMS Email Continuity phases of operation There are three major phases of EMS operation: Before: After EMS has been installed but before a disaster has been declared. During: From the time EMS is activated until the time the primary messaging system is back on line. After: From the time the primary system has been recovered to the time that all data has been migrated back from EMS to the primary system. Before: Complete installation takes less than an hour. The EMS SyncManager keeps the EMS directory in sync with the primary system. Settings are completely configurable. With smart replication, total bandwidth can be as low as 0.5kb per mailbox! The EMS facility is configured as a low priority entry within the MX record which means it is never in the mailstream until the primary messaging system fails or is deactivated. More importantly, activating EMS does not require a DNS change, which would result in a propagation delay. In the event of an outage of the primary mail system, EMS will queue mail and attempt to redeliver until the primary system comes back online. The operation of EMS is done through a secure, web-based interface. 6 Applications Business Process Consulting Infrastructure Support
During: EMS can be activated over the web or by phone. EMS rapidly activates the backup mailboxes. Notification messages are sent to the electronic contacts of the company employees (cell phones, BlackBerry devices, personal email addresses, pagers, etc.). Employees access the EMS Infrastructure anytime and virtually anywhere. The company maintains complete email continuity among its employees and all external contacts, such as customers and suppliers. 7 Applications Business Process Consulting Infrastructure Support
After: Incoming email is automatically flowed back into the primary system when it returns to operation. EMS creates an archive of all traffic sent/received while it was activated. The EMS RecoveryManager automatically migrates data sent/received from EMS back to the primary mail system. 8 Applications Business Process Consulting Infrastructure Support
Domino Directory Syncing: The Directory is the list of mail recipients that will be provisioned on EMS Email Continuity. This list is equivalent to the Corporate Address Book. EMS uses this information to pre- create mailboxes that can be activated immediately upon activation of EMS. EMS also reads the Corporate Address Book so that it can be made available to employees when EMS is activated. The Domino Directory is queried through database interfaces built into Domino Server. Data Recovery to NSFs: After de- activation of EMS, Dell provides software to assist customers with the process of transferring sent/received messages from EMS to the primary Notes system. EMS creates an archive containing all messages sent and received. That archive file is downloaded by the customer and imported directly into the mail NSFs on the server. Access to the NSFs is made through open interfaces made publicly available by Lotus. Contact Dell Today For additional information on Dell IT Management SaaS solutions, such as pricing or a free demo, please visit the Dell web site for your country or contact your Dell sales representative. 2010 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Microsoft and Microsoft Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. Trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Specifications are correct at date of publication but are subject to availability or change without notice at any time. Dell and its affiliates cannot be responsible for errors or omissions in typography or photography. Dell s Terms and Conditions of Sales and Service apply and are available on request. Dell service offerings do not affect consumer s statutory rights. 9 Applications Business Process Consulting Infrastructure Support